Our chairman and founder, Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, received a special honor in late April when he was informed that his translation of the Anguttara Nikaya, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, was chosen to receive the 2013 Khyentse Foundation Prize for Outstanding Translation Work. More here

(though those robes he's wearing are an "interesting" shade of saffron )

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

Well deserved!! It was Bhikkhu Bodhi's translations that brought me to Buddhism.

With mettaChris

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

I'm only up to the Book of Twos at the moment, but I've been quite impressed at the translation effort, even vis-a-vis his earlier fine translation efforts.

I get the sense that nowadays Bhikkhu Bodhi is much less inclined to kowtow to and incorporate the "traditional" interpretations of the texts than he was when he was heavily involved with the Buddist Publication Society (BPS) .

Rather, he appears more prepared to approach the texts at face value and translate their meaning directly without the unnecessary accommodation of traditional interpretations. He takes various sources of information into account (primarily commentaries, agamas etc.) but he does not seem to weigh them disprortionately based upon which lineage they are typically aligned.

Or to put it another way, I feel we're getting a "translation" of the text, rather than a "Theravada translation" of the text. I find that to be honest and of great value.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

retrofuturist wrote:Or to put it another way, I feel we're getting a "translation" of the text, rather than a "Theravada translation" of the text. I find that to be honest and of great value.

Bhikkhu Bodhi had a lot of contact with Mahayana in his early days as a monk (he even ordained with them initially) and then more recently at the monastery where he resides. In between and throughout his career he was mostly in Sri Lanka and of course a fully ordained Theravada monk but I think the exposure to some great Mahayana masters really made him grow spiritually as a great Buddhist monk. For example, he apparently has well-developed karuna and is not dogmatic at all in regards to Theravada or the Commentaries.

Retro that's a common shade of robe, most common in Burma, pretty common in Sri Lanka, especially among the Galduwa and the Amarapura nikayas.

Good for Venerable Bodhi. I'm yet to get my mits on a copy of the AN, but I hear he's done a great job. Venerable Bodhi has made a massive contribution to the Dhamma. A scholar monk for the ages

May he achieve an excellent rebirth as a result.

mettaJack

Last edited by BlackBird on Fri Jun 07, 2013 4:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Haha I had quite forgotten about that! But it's as true today as it was way back then.

IIRC someone had made a comment that the Dhammawheel forums could easily double as a Bhikkhu Bodhi fan club.

mettaJack

P.S. Great win for your boys against Miami today David

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

retrofuturist wrote:I get the sense that nowadays Bhikkhu Bodhi is much less inclined to kowtow to and incorporate the "traditional" interpretations of the texts than he was when he was heavily involved with the Buddist Publication Society (BPS) .

I would not characterize the BPS (under the guidance of Ven Nyanaponika) as being rigidly traditional. After all the BPS gave us Ven Nanananda's two excellent none traditional works, CONCEPT AND REAITY and THE MAGIC OF THE MIND as well as his nifty little anthology of the Samyutta Nikaya.

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond.SN I, 38.

Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine.People live in one another’s shelter.

retrofuturist wrote:I get the sense that nowadays Bhikkhu Bodhi is much less inclined to kowtow to and incorporate the "traditional" interpretations of the texts than he was when he was heavily involved with the Buddist Publication Society (BPS) .

I would not characterize the BPS (under the guidance of Ven Nyanaponika) as being rigidly traditional. After all the BPS gave us Ven Nanananda's two excellent none traditional works, CONCEPT AND REAITY and THE MAGIC OF THE MIND as well as his nifty little anthology of the Samyutta Nikaya.

Possibly, yet in "The Heretic Sage" interviews, ven. Nanananda mentions that he felt compelled to tone down some of the texts to accommodate Nyanaponika/BPS's proclivities. Alas the link to those interviews seems to be down at the moment so I cannot provide a direct quote. Either way, I do think Bhikkhu Bodhi has progressively moved away from the conservative/traditional Theravada end of the spectrum.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

Congratulations to Bhikkhu Bodhi. I am not surprised that Bhante has won the award, I just wish there was greater acknowledgement of his fantastic work.kind regards,

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

retrofuturist wrote: Either way, I do think Bhikkhu Bodhi has progressively moved away from the conservative/traditional Theravada end of the spectrum.

From listening to some of his talks, I get the impression that his understanding and confidence as a translator has developed over time - but isn't that what you'd expect?Anyway, I'm very grateful for all his efforts, and for the work of other translators ( whichever part of the spectrum we think they're on ).

"I ride tandem with the random, Things don't run the way I planned them, In the humdrum."Peter Gabriel lyric

retrofuturist wrote:Possibly, yet in "The Heretic Sage" interviews, ven. Nanananda mentions that he felt compelled to tone down some of the texts to accommodate Nyanaponika/BPS's proclivities. Alas the link to those interviews seems to be down at the moment so I cannot provide a direct quote. Either way, I do think Bhikkhu Bodhi has progressively moved away from the conservative/traditional Theravada end of the spectrum.

Metta,Retro.

Not to change the subject, but the Heretic Sage interviews are available below.

When this concentration is thus developed, thus well developed by you, then wherever you go, you will go in comfort. Wherever you stand, you will stand in comfort. Wherever you sit, you will sit in comfort. Wherever you lie down, you will lie down in comfort.

This is great to hear! I'm so grateful to all the people that contribute to the teachings. Without you, people like myself would not have access to these teachings. Dhamma is truly the greatest gift one could share with another. Congratulations Bhikkhu Bodhi!